Kochi: Three consecutive days of interrogation and nearly three months after being accused, the police team probing the nun rape case recorded the arrest of Jalandhar ex-bishop Franco Mulakkal here on Friday evening.
The 54-year old Franco Mulakkal, being the first bishop in the country to be arrested on a charge of sexual abuse, was arrested at 8.15 p.m. by the police team, led by Kottayam SP Harisankar and Vaikom DySP K. Subhash. According to sources, IPC sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 376 (2k) (rape on a woman incapable of giving consent), 376 (2n) (cause grievous bodily harm during rape), 377 (unnatural offence) and 506 (1) (criminal intimidation) are currently charged against the bishop.
The police later took him to hospital for the potency test, a crucial requirement to prove the case either way. Around 7 p.m., Mr Hari Sankar said the police had decided to register the arrest of the bishop. “After thoroughly interrogating the bishop, we have strong suspicion against him. He has been found to have committed the offence. Further procedures are on the way, "he said.
He also said that Thursday's interrogation was crucial. "Yesterday's interrogation was crucial as we got the information to break his conspiracy theory," he told the reporters. However the officer was not forthcoming when asked whether the bishop has confessed. "Those details cannot be divulged now," he said.
The interrogation had started at the hi-tech interrogation centre in Crime Branch (CB) office at Tripunithura around 10.45 am. Unlike the day before, several additional police personnel were deployed in and around CB office right from the morning corroborating the anticipation over his imminent arrest.
According to sources, there are currently 81 witnesses and 34 documents already in connection with the case and they said that the number would rise.
From this crucial move, it is also learnt that the police had made consultations about the legal sustainability of the arrest because the anticipatory bail plea of the bishop is set to come up before the High Court on Sept. 25.
Several weeks ago, the investigation team led by K.Subhash, DySP, Vaikkom, had first interrogated the bishop for over nine hours at Jalandhar on August 13. Later, he remained relieved of the responsibility of the diocese as the administrator. Pope Francis accepted his request for exemption from pastoral duties.
The second round of investigation started in Tripunithura on Wednesday when he was subjected to over 22 hours for three days.
While the arrest was widely speculated on Thursday, the bishop was yet again allowed to leave at the end of the interrogation as Mr Sanker said the interrogation was inconclusive and that a decision regarding arrest cannot be made before the interrogation was fully done with.
It is also learnt that during interrogation, the bishop has raised several counter arguments including that the nuns complaint was in retaliation to him giving permission for an enquiry against the nun. But according to officials, they had ample and substantiate evidence to back their assesment that bishop has committed the offense. Late in the night, the bishop was brought to Kottayam Police Club. He then complained for chest pain and was hospitalised.
